Bill Withers
William Harrison "Bill" Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an … Read Full Bio ↴William Harrison "Bill" Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He had several hits over a relatively short career of fifteen years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me" (1972), "Lean on Me" (1972), "Lovely Day" (1977), and "Just the Two of Us" (1981). Withers won three Grammy Awards and was nominated for six more. His life was the subject of the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. Withers was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Two of his songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Withers, the youngest of six children, was born in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, on July 4, 1938. He was the son of Mattie (Galloway), a maid, and William Withers, a miner. He was born with a stutter and later said he had a hard time fitting in. His parents divorced when he was three, and he was raised by his mother's family in nearby Beckley, West Virginia. He was 13 years old when his father died. Withers enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17, and served for nine years, during which time he became interested in singing and writing songs.
He left the Navy in 1965, relocating to Los Angeles in 1967 to start a music career. His debut release was "Three Nights and a Morning" in 1967. Arranged by Mort Garson, the song went unnoticed at the time but was later reworked by Withers as the track "Harlem".
Withers worked as an assembler for several different companies, including Douglas Aircraft Corporation, IBM and Ford, while recording demo tapes with his own money, shopping them around and performing in clubs at night. When he returned with the song "Ain't No Sunshine" in 1971, he refused to resign from his job because he believed the music business was a fickle industry. In early 1970, Withers's demonstration tape was auditioned favorably by Clarence Avant, owner of Sussex Records. Avant signed Withers to a record deal and assigned former Stax Records stalwart Booker T. Jones to produce Withers' first album. Four three-hour recording sessions were planned for the album, but funding caused the album to be recorded in three sessions with a six-month break between the second and final sessions. Just as I Am was released in 1971 with the tracks, "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands" as singles. The album features Stephen Stills playing lead guitar. On the cover of the album, Withers is pictured at his job at Weber Aircraft in Burbank, California, holding his lunch box.
Withers was known for his "smooth" baritone vocals and "sumptuous" soul arrangements. He wrote some of the most covered songs of the 1970s, including "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine". The former entered the Hot 100 chart through multiple versions, including Club Nouveau's 1987 cover, which made the composition one of nine songs to have led the chart via different acts. With "Lovely Day", he set the record for the longest sustained note on a chart hit on American charts, holding a high E for 18 seconds. Editors from The Guardian considered that Withers' songs are "some of the most beloved in the American songbook," citing, "'Ain't No Sunshine' is regarded as one of the all-time great breakup tracks, while 'Lean on Me', an ode to the supportive power of friendship ..." For the same newspaper, Alex Petridis noticed "[he] laid pain and paranoia under his deceptively gentle songs, and retired early having conquered gospel, funk, blues, disco and more." In Rolling Stone, writer Andy Greene noted that several of his songs "are embedded in the culture and have been covered countless times."
Writing for The New York Times, Giovanni Russonello considered Withers "[a] soulful singer with a gift for writing understated classics", adding, "the ultimate homespun hitmaker, he had an innate sense of what might make a song memorable, and little interest in excess attitude or accoutrements. Ultimately Withers reminded us that it’s the everyday that is the most meaningful: work, family, love, loss." A Billboard article considered that Withers "stands as one of R&B/soul music's most revered singer-songwriters." In the same magazine, writer Gail Mitchell acknowledged "Withers' legacy has flourished in the decades since, thanks to a cross-section of artists who have covered/sampled his songs or cited him as a major influence." Musician and music journalist Questlove referred to Withers' post-breakup 1974 album +'Justments as "a diary [...] [it] was a pre-reality-show look at his life. Keep in mind this was years before Marvin Gaye did it with Here, My Dear." The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson deemed him "a songwriter's songwriter". Musicians Sade, D'Angelo, Justin Timberlake, John Legend and Ed Sheeran have credited Withers as a music inspiration.
Withers died from heart complications in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, at age 81; his family announced his death four days later. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).
Withers, the youngest of six children, was born in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, on July 4, 1938. He was the son of Mattie (Galloway), a maid, and William Withers, a miner. He was born with a stutter and later said he had a hard time fitting in. His parents divorced when he was three, and he was raised by his mother's family in nearby Beckley, West Virginia. He was 13 years old when his father died. Withers enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17, and served for nine years, during which time he became interested in singing and writing songs.
He left the Navy in 1965, relocating to Los Angeles in 1967 to start a music career. His debut release was "Three Nights and a Morning" in 1967. Arranged by Mort Garson, the song went unnoticed at the time but was later reworked by Withers as the track "Harlem".
Withers worked as an assembler for several different companies, including Douglas Aircraft Corporation, IBM and Ford, while recording demo tapes with his own money, shopping them around and performing in clubs at night. When he returned with the song "Ain't No Sunshine" in 1971, he refused to resign from his job because he believed the music business was a fickle industry. In early 1970, Withers's demonstration tape was auditioned favorably by Clarence Avant, owner of Sussex Records. Avant signed Withers to a record deal and assigned former Stax Records stalwart Booker T. Jones to produce Withers' first album. Four three-hour recording sessions were planned for the album, but funding caused the album to be recorded in three sessions with a six-month break between the second and final sessions. Just as I Am was released in 1971 with the tracks, "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands" as singles. The album features Stephen Stills playing lead guitar. On the cover of the album, Withers is pictured at his job at Weber Aircraft in Burbank, California, holding his lunch box.
Withers was known for his "smooth" baritone vocals and "sumptuous" soul arrangements. He wrote some of the most covered songs of the 1970s, including "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine". The former entered the Hot 100 chart through multiple versions, including Club Nouveau's 1987 cover, which made the composition one of nine songs to have led the chart via different acts. With "Lovely Day", he set the record for the longest sustained note on a chart hit on American charts, holding a high E for 18 seconds. Editors from The Guardian considered that Withers' songs are "some of the most beloved in the American songbook," citing, "'Ain't No Sunshine' is regarded as one of the all-time great breakup tracks, while 'Lean on Me', an ode to the supportive power of friendship ..." For the same newspaper, Alex Petridis noticed "[he] laid pain and paranoia under his deceptively gentle songs, and retired early having conquered gospel, funk, blues, disco and more." In Rolling Stone, writer Andy Greene noted that several of his songs "are embedded in the culture and have been covered countless times."
Writing for The New York Times, Giovanni Russonello considered Withers "[a] soulful singer with a gift for writing understated classics", adding, "the ultimate homespun hitmaker, he had an innate sense of what might make a song memorable, and little interest in excess attitude or accoutrements. Ultimately Withers reminded us that it’s the everyday that is the most meaningful: work, family, love, loss." A Billboard article considered that Withers "stands as one of R&B/soul music's most revered singer-songwriters." In the same magazine, writer Gail Mitchell acknowledged "Withers' legacy has flourished in the decades since, thanks to a cross-section of artists who have covered/sampled his songs or cited him as a major influence." Musician and music journalist Questlove referred to Withers' post-breakup 1974 album +'Justments as "a diary [...] [it] was a pre-reality-show look at his life. Keep in mind this was years before Marvin Gaye did it with Here, My Dear." The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson deemed him "a songwriter's songwriter". Musicians Sade, D'Angelo, Justin Timberlake, John Legend and Ed Sheeran have credited Withers as a music inspiration.
Withers died from heart complications in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, at age 81; his family announced his death four days later. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).
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Bill Withers Lyrics
06_I dont know I get a warm summer feeling walking through the snow Even…
09 Hello Like Before A hello like before I'd never come here If I'd known that…
11_Let me be the one you need May not know enough about you, babe But that can only…
19 I Wish You Well I wish you flowers, sunshine and smiles I wish you children…
2 I see the crystal raindrops fall And the beauty of it…
94- use me My friends feel it's their appointed duty They keep tryna te…
Ain Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
Ain'n no sunshine Ain't no sunshine when she's gone. It's not warm when she's…
Ain't No Sun Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
Ain't No Sunshine Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
Ain't no Sunshine2 Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
Aint No Sunshine Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
All Because of You A sparkle in my eye Satisfied All because of you pretty on…
Another Day to Run If you don't look into your mind and find out…
Better Days Tomorrow must be better days And rocky fields must turn to…
Better off Dead She couldn't stand me anymore So she just took the…
Can We Pretend Can We Pretend Can we pretend That from now on There…
City Of Angels City of the angels spread your wings for me I've been…
Close to Me Close to me Said I want you close to me I believe I…
Dedicated to You My Love Dated till each of us runs out of time Dedicated to…
Do It Good (Do it good) (Do it good) (Do it good) If you want to…
Don I get a warm summer feeling walking through the snow Even…
Don't Make Me Wait It's only ‘cause you're waiting If it's ever in your mind …
Don't You Want to Stay Busy hanging curtains Children in the way Whoa, that's what …
Don't You Want to Stay? Busy hanging curtains Children in the way Woh! That's what…
Dreams Staring at shadows Calling them faces Characters in the st…
Everbody's Talkin' Everybody's talkin' at me I don't hear a word they're sayin'…
Everybody's Talkin' Everybody's talkin' at me I don't hear a word they're sayin…
Family Table I will follow my dreams wherever They take me I will stand…
For My Friend One of us has to say he's sorry or we…
Friend of Mine One, two, three, four Might be that we have, different view…
Give Me the Beat Boys Day after day I'm more confused But I look for the…
Grandma Grandma's hands Clapped in church on Sunday morning Grandma'…
Green Grass Looking out at the people looking in Feeling good must be…
Harlem Summer night in Harlem Man, it's a really hot Well, it's too…
Harlem Cold Baloney Summer night in Harlem, Man it's really hot! Well it's too h…
Harlem (7 Summer night in Harlem, Man it's really hot! Well it's…
Harlem / Cold Baloney Summer night in Harlem, Man it's really hot! Well it's too h…
Heart in Your Life La, lala, lala I only want to love you Please don't push…
Heartbreak Road Wonder who is waiting for me At the end of Heartbreak…
Hello Like Before A hello like before I'd never come here If I'd known that…
Hope She Maybe the lateness of the hour Makes me seem bluer than…
I Can't Write Left Handed We recorded this song on October the 6th Since then the…
I can`t write left-handed I can't write left-handed. Would you please write a letter…
I Don I get a warm summer feeling walking through the snow Even…
I Don't Know I get a warm summer feeling walking through the snow Even…
I Don't Want You on My Mind I don't want you on my mind all the…
I Dont Know I get a warm summer feeling walking through the snow Even…
I love You Dawn And I've sat in the sunshine in summers of sadness and…
I Want Ti Spend The Night I wanna spend the night With you Forever Every time we wind…
I Wish You Well I wish you flowers, sunshine and smiles I wish you children…
I'll Be with You Woh! I'll be with you, Yes 'till heaven comes and takes…
I'm Her Daddy How do you do, Lucy? You sure been hard to find I…
If I Didn't Mean You Well If I didn't mean you well I'd go and find another…
In My Heart When I need some affection you're not there, I close my…
In the Name of Love People try to create feelings just the same as love In…
In Want To Spend The Night I want to spend the night With you Forever Every time we wi…
It Ain't Because of Me It ain't because of me, baby That you're bein' alone Nobod…
It Ain't Because of Me Baby It ain't because of me, baby That you're bein' alone Nobody'…
It's All Over Now Well, baby used to stay out all night long She made…
Just A Two Of Us I see the crystal raindrops fall And the beauty of it…
Just my Imagination When you appeared in my imagination I had no idea that…
Just the Two of Us I see the crystal raindrops fall And the beauty of it…
Kissin' My Love When I'm kissing my love, I can hear a thump…
Kissing My Love Whoa now When I'm kissing my love Yeah thump a thumping in…
Lean on Me Sometimes in our lives we all have pain We all have…
Lean on Me - Single Version Sometimes in our lives We all have pain, we all have…
Let 'Em In La, lala, lala I only want to love you Please don't push…
Let It Be May not know enough about you, babe But that can only…
Let Me In To Your Life La, lala, lala I only want to love you Please don't push…
Let Us Love On just and ordinary day, no reason, no reason for…
Liza Probably one of the nicest affections in the world Is that…
Lonely Town You can live your life in a crowded city You can…
Lonely Town, Lonely Street You can live your life in a crowded city, You can…
Lonely Town. Lonely Street You can live your life in a crowded city You can…
Lonely Town/Lonely Street You can live your life in a crowded city, You…
Look to Each Other for Love Love can make us happy Open up your heart everyone And the…
Love Yeah, yeah, I know you wit' her and you all…
Love Is Love is caring And love is needing Love is sharing And lo…
Lovely Day When I wake up in the morning, love And the sunlight…
Lovely Day (7" Sunshine Mix) When I wake up in the mornin', love And the sunlight…
Lovely Day (album version) lovely day…
Lovely Night for Dancing Such a lovely night for dancin' And I get this feelin'…
Make a Smile for Me Make a smile for me Lately I've been so lonely And a…
Make Love to Your Mind I love the story in your love song Buildin' them castles…
Medley: Harlem/Cold Baloney Summer night in Harlem, Man it's really hot! Well it's…
Memories Are That Way Memories take you back To the good times When it's over A…
Moanin (Hmm, hum, hum) Ah, she keeps me moanin', groanin' Hey, beca…
My Imagination When you appeared in my imagination I had no idea that…
Naked & Warm Heaven lies here asleep And sweet, naked, and warm I said I…
No Sunshine Ain't no sunshine when she's gone. It's not warm when she's…
Oh Yeah! Sometimes you stare and the look that's in your eyes Says…
Paint Your Pretty Picture I will lay around sometimes And show some sadness For people…
Railroad Man When I was a little boy back in West Virginia We…
Rosie I...smile...when Rosie comes to see me And I'm sad when Ros…
Ruby Lee Staring at shadows on the wall Wish I knew of someone…
She Wants to She spends the daytime being a lady But when the nighttime…
She's Lonely She's a different kind of lady She's not often understood …
Something That Turns You On I hope you find in me Something that turns you on A…
Sometimes A Song Sometimes a song is funky Cause you feel that way A song…
Soul Shadows San Francisco morning coming clear and cold Don't know if I'…
Steppin Steppin' right along like it ain't nothing, baby Something j…
Stories Who will buy a glad story That a young man has…
Sweet Wanomi In a room with soft satin pillows Cracklin' fireplace keeps …
Take It All in and Check It All Out You can fill up a room with idle conversation you…
Tender Things Sweet and tender things Are so much nicer than silly games S…
The Best You Can Looking at what I see What does living mean to me All…
The Same Love That Made Me Laugh Your love is like a a chunk of gold Hard to…
Then You Smile at Me Closer to me, Let that look in your eye Say that love…
Use Me My friends feel it's their appointed duty They keep tryna te…
Use Me - Single Version My friends feel it's their appointed duty They keep trying t…
Use Me Up My friends feel it's their appointed duty They keep tryna te…
Watching You Watching Me Watching you watching me It's so easy to see That it's my…
We Could Be Sweet Lovers Sweet life, it just can't be paradise But if you think…
Whatever Happens Whatever happens We'll have some love along the way But it a…
Where Are You Ever since you came into my life You have been so…
Who Is He A man we passed just tried to stare me down And…
Wintertime In the wintertime the grass is brown and the sky…
World Keeps Going Around Lookin' at the pictures of the places That he'd been,…
You I wish you flowers, sunshine and smiles I wish you children…
You Got the Stuff It′s got something to do with the weather That I'm feeling…
You just can t smile it away You just cant smile it away Its much more than passion Oh…
You just can' t smile it away You just cant smile it away Its much more than passion Oh…
You Just Can't Smile It Away You just cant smile it away Its much more than passion Oh…
You Try To Find A Love Crazy hours, party nights Lady power, hardly right Oh, the s…